The countdown to the 2026 Preakness Stakes is officially on, and this year’s race brings a unique twist—and a potential history-making contender. For the first time since California Chrome’s iconic win in 2014, a non-Kentucky-bred horse could capture the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Enter Taj Mahal, a Florida-bred colt trained by Brittany Russell, who has yet to lose a race. All three of his career victories have come at Laurel Park in Maryland, which just so happens to be the temporary home of this year’s Preakness as Pimlico Race Course undergoes renovations.
Taj Mahal enters Saturday’s race from the rail at 5-1 odds, making him one of three colts at that price alongside Chip Honcho and Incredibolt. The morning-line favorite, however, is Iron Honor at 9-2. But with the post draw now official and Golden Tempo notably absent from the field, the race is wide open for surprises.
That’s where expert insight comes in. Jody Demling, a longtime fixture in horse racing analysis, has an uncanny track record. He’s correctly called 11 of the last 21 Preakness winners, including a massive 2023 sweep of the winner, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta. He also nailed the trifecta in 2024 and picked Journalism as the 2025 winner. If you’ve been following his picks on horse racing betting sites, you know the value of his expertise.
One of Demling’s most intriguing 2026 Preakness Stakes picks is Napoleon Solo, an 8-1 longshot who showed serious promise in 2025. He broke his maiden at Saratoga in August and followed it up with a win in the Grade-I Champagne Stakes in October. While his 2026 form has been less flashy—finishing fifth in both the Wood Memorial and the Fountain of Youth Stakes—Demling isn’t counting him out. He believes Napoleon Solo’s Wood Memorial run was stronger than it looks on paper and still ranks him as a top-5 contender.
With the field set and post positions locked in, all eyes turn to Laurel Park this Saturday, May 16. Whether you’re backing the favorite, the local hero, or a savvy longshot, the 2026 Preakness promises plenty of drama—and maybe even a new chapter in Triple Crown history.